


Severed Chains

by 2space_lesbo1



Series: Three Confused Androids and their Grumpy  Dad [16]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Lessons, Markus is back!!, Painting, introductions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 10:05:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15140753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2space_lesbo1/pseuds/2space_lesbo1
Summary: Caleb is excited to be taught to paint by Markus.Markus is excited to introduce Connor to someone new.





	Severed Chains

**Author's Note:**

> Eeeeeeyyyyy next part finally!! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy like usual, and lemme know what you think of the newest boy :)

“Markus,” Connor begins, hugging his friend once he's stepped into the mansion that has become familiar to him quickly. Markus is actually one of Connor’s few friends- it's not that people don't like him(though there are a handful of androids who still believe him a spy, and then there's humans still bitter with his betrayal)- it's just that Connor himself is not the best at communicating with others. “It is good to see you again.” 

“And it is nice to see you as well, my friend,” Markus said in agreement, a warm smile gracing his lips. He then notices the taller Connor model behind his friend and looks curiously at him. “And this must be your brother. I don't think that we have met yet.” 

Connor smiles in return and motions Caleb forward. His younger brother takes a hesitant step forward, his eyes squinting a little as he instinctively scans Markus. As he does with all new people. Connor has the same habit. 

“Yes, this is my brother, Caleb,” Connor introduces, and Caleb nods at the usage of his name. “Caleb, this is my friend, Markus.” 

Markus offers another of his warm and kind smiles to Caleb, and the tallest android struggles to return it. He takes notice of how Markus’s eyes dart to his temple, and he begins to feel self-conscious- he must be looking at the horrid scar there. But then the android is offering a hand to him, meeting his blue eyes with his mismatched eyes. 

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Caleb,” Markus said just as warmly as his smile. “I'm sure we’ll become good friends.” 

Caleb takes the hand with his own, recognizing it as a handshake. “It's an honor to meet you, Markus,” he said. “After everything you've done for our people, it couldn't be anything less.” 

Markus’s smile lightens, becomes more bashful as a slight blue hue colors his cheeks. Connor chuckles; Markus can sometimes get a bit flustered when someone thanks him like this. 

“I felt that it was necessary,” he said, and then motions for them to step inside. “Now then, come on in. Carl readied the studio for our session.” 

Caleb steps in, and Connor goes to follow, but then Markus catches his wrist, meeting his gaze. “lll need to speak with you later,” he said in a low voice, so low only Connor could hear it at the moment. His LED flashes yellow a moment before returning to blue. “It's important.” 

He nods slowly and Markus lets him continue inside, quickly catching up with Caleb in the studio room. 

Markus steps in after them both. “It will be just us three today,” he informed, his voice still holding its usual warmth to it. He gestures to a pair of canvases located in the center of the room, stepping to one while Caleb goes to other. Connor stands to the side, watching curiously. “Simon, Josh and North took Carl out today. I think they're watching a movie, but I could be wrong.” 

Caleb nods his response, glancing to the pallet of paint balancing precariously on a small table beside his canvas. 

“Now, have you painted before?” Markus asks, grabbing his own paint brush. 

“Affirmative,” Caleb replies, watching as the other android dabs his brush in a bit of color, swirling it around on the canvas to make a mix of colors. “I painted on one canvas before Connor brought me here to meet you.” 

“Ah, and what was your inspiration?” 

“My cat: Cinnamon Roll.” 

Markus quirks an eyebrow at that, his lips turning upwards once more. “You have a cat?” he asks with amusement. 

“Yes,” Caleb said, following Markus’s hand as he moves the brush to make streaks and lines through the explosion of colors. Connor listens to their conversation nearby, his head tilted slightly as he watches, LED flashing yellow once more. 

“That's wonderful, Caleb,” Markus said and the smile was full now. Markus has always loved to see his fellow androids develop, going from hard programmed machine to a living creature with their own quirks and habits. It warms his blue pumping heart, especially with any Connor model, because he knows their programming is an even harder thing to break through. He pauses in his painting- Caleb could now recognize a face forming in the middle of all that color- to glance at the taller android. He's glad Caleb is coming along with his own personality, but he also knows that to truly paint, one cannot simply paint what they see. Just as Carl taught him. “I want you to do something for me now. I did this when I painted for the first time, and I'd like to see how it works for you.” 

“What would you like me to do?” Caleb inquires, ready to do almost anything Markus asked of him. Somehow, with his sturdy and self-assured personality, Markus seemed to exude confidence, making him sound, look and seem like the perfect leader that should be followed to the ends of the Earth. 

“Close your eyes,” Markus instructs, setting his brush down to stand beside Caleb, looking at him expectantly. It takes a moment, but Caleb does so, his eyelids snapping shut. “Okay, good. Now… imagine something you've never seen before. Now I want you to paint that.” 

Caleb’s eyebrows scrunching together as he takes in Markus’s instructions, one image coming to mind as his hand begins to move. Markus circles around the other android as he begins to paint, wondering if this is how Carl felt when he taught him. 

It takes Caleb five, maybe six minutes to complete his painting, and when he does, Markus is pleasantly shocked by the outcome. He appears to have painted a black cat with glowing blue eyes breaking free of chains, blue fire the same color of its eyes surrounding it. 

Caleb opens his eyes as he finishes the final stroke, looking surprised himself to see what he had painted. He then turns to look at Markus, smiling brightly and with pride at his work. 

“That looks amazing, Caleb!” Markus exclaimed, not really knowing what else to say. He peers at it a tad closer, humming as he nods. “What are you going to call it?” 

The tallest android looks back to his painting in thought. “I like the name… ‘Severed Chains’,” he informs with a slight nod. 

“I'd say it fits,” Markus said in agreement. “Now why don't you pull up on another canvas and focus on shading? I need to talk to Connor really quick.” 

At the mention of his name, Connor peels his gaze from Caleb’s painting to meet Markus’s mismatched eyes, pushing from the table he had been leaning on. “What is it?” he asks curiously, but falls silent as Markus gestures for him to step outside of the studio. 

Once the door shuts behind them, Markus starts. “So, I am sure you have heard of the efforts we are currently taking to recreate the android graveyards into more suitable areas.” at Connor’s nod he continues. “While I was there, I came across a barely living android.” He pauses, and leads the other android up the stairs. “I still do not know this particular android’s past, and how he got there, but I took him in to help and repair him. But because Carl cannot provide for another android, I thought maybe you could help him.” 

Connor stares at the side of Markus’s face in confusion. Why would Markus think him best to take another android? He could hardly help Caleb, much less a second one. He himself was still having a hard enough time trying to figure out his emotions and what it meant to be alive. “Markus… that's wonderful but… why me?” 

“Because, Connor,” Markus resumed, stopping in front of Carl’s room. “He's one of your brothers.” 

And before Connor could say anything else, Markus opens the door and another of Connor’s model steps out. He would have looked exactly the same to Connor- same height, same face structure, same hair color- save for the heterochromic eyes, the left being the same brown while the right was a light green. He was currently wearing one of Markus’s old jackets, a plain white shirt underneath with a pair of grey sweatpants. He looked nervous- especially with how his LED was flashing between red and yellow, his mismatched eyes wide. 

Connor sputters for a moment, his surprise overtaking him before Markus continues speaking, “Connor, this is Collin.” 

This Collin reaches a quick and slightly stiff hand up, the rest of his body stick still as Connor stares at the offered hand. 

Slowly, Connor takes the hand, deciding to do a full scan of the other android. 

What he sees shocks him. 

He quickly draws his hand away, taking a large step backwards, away from the other android. Both Collin’s and Markus’s eyes widen at his sudden movement. “I know who you are!” Connor exclaims and Collin’s face falls. Markus frowns, looking between both of them. 

“What are you talking about, Connor?” he asks, trying to stay calm despite the atmosphere turning tense. 

“He was designed to stop me,” Connor explained in a low voice, and Collin’s eyes dart away in obvious shame. “He kidnapped Hank and almost killed him!” 

Markus looks at Collin now, a shocked expression on his face. “Is this true?” he asks, gasping when the other Connor nods slowly. He frowns, but shakes is head, looking back to Connor. “That doesn't matter. He's changed.” 

“How can you be sure? He could still be following his protocol,” Connor points out. 

“Strange, your reaction,” Markus said, and his voice has dropped, eyes narrowing as he stares at the original Connor. “Isn't that exactly what the others say about you?” He sighs heavily, resting a hand on Collin’s shoulder. Connor’s eyes widen, mouth dropping open as an unreadable emotion enters his eyes. “Well, I guess if he's still following his protocols, then you are as well, Connor, and therefore, I can no longer trust you.” 

Connor is silent a moment before he shakes his head. “You're… you're right, Markus,” he said finally, voice quiet. “That was uncalled for from me. Everyone deserves a second chance. Collin is no different.” 

Collin looks up, a hesitant and shaky smile on his lips. “Thank you,” he said softly. Connor nods, returning a similar smile. 

Connor then looks back to Markus. “Now, I’d love to help him like I helped Caleb,” he says, shifting on his feet. 

Markus smiles brightly, patting Collin on the shoulder. “Wonderful, Connor,” he said. 

Connor nods in return, already thinking to how Hank is going to react. 

This was going to be fun.

**Author's Note:**

> Hank is gonna be pissed probably.


End file.
